Minnesota House ratifies organized labor contracts
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Today, the Minnesota House of Representatives voted to pass HF800, which ratifies collective bargaining agreements between state employees and the executive branch. The bill, authored by Representative Leon Lille (DFL - North St. Paul), passed on a unanimous vote of 130-0.
The legislation ratifies contracts agreed to by the Minnesota Government Engineers Council and Minnesota State College Faculty which include pay raises, step increases, additional paid
holidays, and recruiting and referral incentives. It also approves multiple memorandums of understanding from contracts approved in previous years, including MAPE and AFSCME contracts, with provisions to improve state employee retention.
“We are so blessed as a state to have strong unions and good workers that do amazing work,” said Rep. Lillie. “These contracts provide much-needed increases in pay and benefits for state workers, helping more Minnesota families thrive.”
“Our state employees provide essential services for the people of Minnesota,” said Speaker Melissa Hortman. “Their work makes this state a great place to live and improves our quality of life. I’m pleased we were able to ratify these contracts early in session with bipartisan support.”
“Voting for this bill is a vote to help more of our fellow Minnesotans afford their lives,” said House Majority Leader Jamie Long. “This is an agreement forged through a collective bargaining process between state employees and the executive branch, and legislators should honor that important process.”
More information on the bill can be found on the House website, and a recording of the floor vote can be found on the House Public Information Youtube page.
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